Propelling and steering unit for boats



Sept. 2, 1.930. w. wxLsoN 1,774,955

` rRQPtLLING AND STEERING UNIT POR BOATS I Filed De`c. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l A n l a m W m W Sept. 2, i930; w. wn ."=so|*-| 1,774,956

I 'PRUPLLING AND STEERING UNIT FIOR BOATS v lFilled Dc. '7, 1929 z'vshaets-"snnt 2 l U INVENTQ wlTNEssEs v Wzl/mm WZ/.wz

Patented 2, 1930 UNITED STATESl 'lncfiiz15:"1' OFFICE WILLIAM wilson, oir NEW Yong, N. ir. rnornumem srnmmemu'r ron Bears ,v application mea ymeenam 7. i'aae. serial iro. 41am.

This invention relates toa propellin and steering mechanism especially designe for watercraft, and has more particular ref erence to a propelling and steering unit which may be used individually or in combination with other similar units or as an auxihary to other motive power and steering mechamsms.

One of the outstanding objects of the .in

I0 vention resides in theprovision of an in iproved propellin and steering unit which is associated vwith t e hull of a vessel in such a manner as to facilitate the emplacement or removal of the same without the necessity y of-dry-dockng the vessel for'the purpose of '25 oiside'wise.

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of a propelling and steering unit whichma be employed as an auxiliary power plant. or sail boats, which may be used articularly for.large Hat-bottom vessels wnere a battery of units' is employed and which may fimction in place o tugs for the docking of lar e ocean vessels.

Other objects o the invention reside in the provision of an improved propelling or steering unit which'is comparatively'simple in its construction and mode of operation, which -is highly eliicient in its purpose and pair or replace.

With the above recited and' other objects in view, `reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the claims delinethe actual scope of the same.

In the drawings: Figure- 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a vessel equipped which is inexpensive to'produce, install, re-A witli a propelling andv steering unit constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2` is a fragmentary ltop plan view thereof.v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 3-3 in Figure 1.

.Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view. l 'Referring to the drawings b characters of reference, 5 designates the liu of a vessel which includes a bottom wall 6 and a superposed deck 7. In order to accommodate the propelling and steering unit which constitutes the subject matter of the resent invention, the hull 5 is provided wit one or more openings 8 which are defined by frustoeconical, preferably square tubular, walls 9 which connect the bottom wall Gland deck 7.' The lower end ofthe openings 8 is of reduced area. or size with respect to the upper end 9 to snugly receive the propelling and steering unit which includes a square tubular frusto-conical outer wall 10 conforming substantiall to the shape and size of the opening 8. vertical hollow cylindrical wall 11 which' is connected at its of the Wall 10 by an annular bottom wall 12.

y The luper end of the outer wall 10 is formed with t e flange 13 which rests upon the neck 7 .and is suitably secured by screws bolts or other fastening elements 14 to the deck, whereby the complete unit .may be emplaced or removed in its entiret for the purposes specified. The inner wal 11 of the unit is provided with` an enlarged upper' end 15 which terminates an appreciable distance below the upper end of the wall 10, and said enlarged upper end 15 of the wall 11 is joined to the wall 10 by a ange 16. A rotatab e turret 17 is positioned within the inner wall 11 and conforms approximately to the size and configuration of the wall 11 for the ma'or portion thereof. The turret 17 is preferably of hollow cylindrical formation` and is provided at its upper end with an annular outwardly extending flange 18 which is received in the rabbeted portion-19 of the up er enlarged end 15 of the inner wall, suita le ower end to the lower end l'Il he unit is provided with an inner tween the under side of the fiange and the horizontal wall of the `rabbeted portion 19.

` meshes, the

` on the water in axial alignment with the di- In order to prevent upward movement of the turret 17, an annulus 21 is anchored to the flange 16 and extends partially over the flange -18. The annulus is removably secured 1n place in any desired manner, such as by the screws or other fastening elements 22 which are anchored in the fiange 16. In order to guide the turret when the same is rotated, suitable-,idler bearin rollers 23 may be cir- -cumferentially distri uted around the inner wall 11 for peripheral engagement with the turret. In order to provide means for turning the turret in the unit, the turret is formed adjacent its upper end with a ring `gear 24 with which an intermediate pinion 25 inion 25 being mounted in a suitable bearing in the enlarged upper end l5 of the inner wall 11. The pinion 25 meshes with a driving gear 26 which is secured to an upwardly extendin shaft 27 bearing in the flange 16 and in a earing bracket 28 adjacent the upper end of the outer wall 10. The outer end of the shaft 27 has secured thereto a bevel gear 29 which meshes with a bevel pinion 30 on a shaft 31 which leads to a driving mechanism for the steering apparatus.

.The lower end 32 of the turret is suitably shaped and stream-lined to offer the least resistance to the forward motion of the vessel while functioning as a rudder. The lower end 32 of the -turret depends from the bottom 6 of the vessel and the lower end is also hollow to accommodate a horizontal propeller shaft 33 which extendslongitudinally of the rudder and is mounted in suitable bearings 34 and 35 with the rear end of the propeller shaft protruding beyond the rear wall 36 of the rudder and with the propeller 37 secured-to the rotruding end thereof. The pro eller sha t has 'secured thereto a bevel pinion 38 which meshes with a bevel gear 39 secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 40 'which leads to or is suitably connected to the prime mover, such as a motor or turbine. The shaft 40 is mounted in suitable bearings 41 and 42 in spider arms 43 and 44 within the turret 17. A thrust bearing 45 may be provided on the shaft 40 to cooperate with the shaft bearing 41.

From the foregoing, it will thus be seen that a propelling and steering unit has been devised by virtue of which the vessel in which it is emplaced may be driven and steered so that the thrust of the propeller 37 is imparted rection it is desired to move the craft. It will also be observed that either the entire pro-v pelling and steering unit or the turret alone may be removed from the vessel and either repaired and replaced or a new part installed without the necessity of dry-docking the vessel. Where abattery or plurality of units is employed, it is apparent that they may be individually driven and controlled or couled for drivin and control in unison. It will also be obvious that the necessity of reversing the prime mover or motor to drive the craft in an opposite direction is obviated, due to the fact that the turret may be completely turned about on its own axis. It is also apparent that the unit may be employed in combination with others of its kind or with other forms of motive power for the purpose of drivin and steering a vessel or for the purpose o docking ocean vessels in place of employing tugs.

What is claimed is:

1. A watercraft including a hull having an opening extending vertically through its bottom and a propelling and steering unit removably mounted within the opening, said unit including a stationary outer section completely filling said opening and a'relatively 'rotatable turret mounted in the outer section having a depending rudder shaped lower end a propeller driven from the interior of the turret and disposed exteriorly thereof and at the rear of said lower end.

2. A water craft including a hull having an opening extending vertically through its bottom and a propelling and steering unit removably mounted Within the opening, said unit including a stationary outer section completely filling said opening and a relatively rotatable turret mounted in the outer section having a depending rudder shaped lower end protruding below the bottom of the hull and a propeller driven from the interior of the turret and disposed'exteriorly thereof and at the rear of said lower end and means within the stationary outer section operatively connected with the turret for effecting rotation thereof.

3. A water craft including a hull having an opening extending vertically through its bottom and a propelling and steering unit removably mounted within the opening, said unit including a stationary outer section and a relatively rotatable turret mounted in the outer section having a depending rudder shaped lower end protruding below the bottom of the hull and a propeller driven from the interior of the turret and disposed ex-v for efecting rotation thereof., said rotatable turret being removably mounted in the stationary outer section to permit of the separation and removal of the turret from the outer section of the unit.

.4. The combination with a water craft including a hull having a substantially frustoconlcal opening extending vertically therethrough from its bottom with the enlarged end'of ,the opening disposed upwardly and a propelling and steering unit including an outer stationary section corresponding approximately to .the size and shape of the opening, removably mounted in theopening and further including a relatively rotatable turret having a de endmg rudder shaped lower end protruding elow the bottom o the hulland a propeller dri-ven from the interior-of the turret disposed exteriorly thereof at the rear of said lower end.

5. A. removable and replaceable propelling and steering unit for water craft including a rotatable hollow turret verticallyT mqunted in the-hull of the craft, ra dependmg rudder shaped lower end protruding below the bottom -of the hull, a ropeller disposed rearwardl of the rud enshaped lower end, a

' prope er shaft extending into said lower end,

a rotatable Iin the-hull of the craft, a depending rudder a vertical drive shaft extending axially of the turret and operativel the propeller shaft and wit a driving mechconnected with l amsm and means operatively connected with the same. replaceable propellin unit for water craft including ollow turret vertically mounted the turret forv turning 6. A removable an and steerini shaped lower end protruding below the bottom ofthe hull, a propeller disposed rearwardl of the rudder shaped lower end, a

prope 1er shaft extendinginto said lower endl a vertical drive shaft'extending axially o theA turret and operatively connected with the propeller shaft and with a driving mechanism and means operatively connected with the turret for turning Vthe same, said latter,

means consisting of a ring gear on the turret, a pinion coacting with the ring gear and means for turnin the pinion.

Signed at New ork in the county'of New York and State of New York, this thday of December A. D. 1929. p v

, WILLIAM WILSON. 

